Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching
Iśvara-Gītā Prelude
ततो बहुतिथे काले गते नारायणः स्वयम् / प्रादुरासीन्महायोगी पीतवासा जगन्मयः
tato bahutithe kāle gate nārāyaṇaḥ svayam / prādurāsīnmahāyogī pītavāsā jaganmayaḥ
ततो बहुकालव्यतीते नारायणः स्वयमेव प्रादुरभवत्—महायोगी पीतवासा जगन्मयः।
Sūta (narrator) / Purāṇic narrator describing the divine manifestation
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
By calling Nārāyaṇa “jaganmayaḥ” (world-pervading/world-constituted), the verse presents the Supreme as immanent in all existence while remaining the conscious source who can “appear” by His own power—an Atman-like reality that is both transcendent and all-pervasive.
The verse highlights the ideal of the Lord as “mahāyogī,” implying mastery of yogic sovereignty (yoga-aiśvarya): effortless manifestation, cosmic pervasion, and perfect self-control—foundational themes for later Kurma Purana teachings on disciplined Yoga, devotion, and divine grace.
Though Vishnu is named, the emphasis on the Lord as “mahāyogī” aligns with the Purāṇa’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis, where the supreme reality is expressed through shared yogic and theophanic attributes rather than sectarian separation.